Oxford crash victim was dependable, beloved neighbor

OXFORD — There will be a moment of silence Saturday in the Wellfleet Senior Center, where members of the Rich Family Association will have their annual reunion.

Folks there, some of them kin to Richard Lundstrom, 56, of Oxford, will be grieving his loss. He died after a car crash in his hometown Tuesday.

"He was a man of varied interests," Karen Rich of Whitman said. "He was a character in a really good way."

Neighbors on his tight-knit street said Mr. Lundstrom had a big heart, and there will be a hole in their neighborhood without him.

He was a regular at the Powell home, across the street from the house he shared with his mother.

"He was a real animal lover," Rebecca Powell said. "Someone dropped off two strays (cats) and they were in lousy shape, but he was able to get them into the house and cared for them. He loved them."

Mr. Lundstrom also looked after other stray cats in the neighborhood, and watched the Powells' home, fed their pets and watered their plants when they were away.

Mrs. Rich and her husband, Richard Rich, met Mr. Lundstrom through a family group that researches the lineage of the Rich family. Mr. Lundstrom's mother, Mary Lundstrom, was a Rich and also a member of the group.

Police on Wednesday identified Mr. Lundstrom as the victim in a two-car collision the day before.

According to police, Mr. Cowden was driving south on Main Street and Mr. Lundstrom was driving east on Quobaug Avenue. Police said the preliminary report indicates Mr. Lundstrom "entered Main Street in front of the Cowden vehicle and it was struck in the driver's side door."

Sgt. Anthony P. Saad said police are continuing to investigate the accident but may never know why Mr. Lundstrom pulled out.

A cross in the same area where the accident occurred marks the site of another fatal accident. Sgt. Saad said the memorial has been in place for a decade or more in memory of a girl who was struck while crossing the street. He said the area is not one where accidents happen very often.

"It's a rare occurrence," he said. "It's wide open with clear visibility."

Oxford rescue crews used hydraulic tools to free Mr. Lundstrom from his car. He was taken to Harrington HealthCare at Hubbard in Webster, where he died from his injuries, police said.

Mrs. Rich said Mr. Lundstrom was smart, a German scholar and translator who loved history and sometimes joked about the thick glasses he wore.

Mason Powell said his neighbor was extremely smart and he believed Mt. Lundstrom had a "couple of college degrees.

"He was usually smarter than the people he worked for," he said.

Ms. Powell said her friend was a cautious driver and she is heartbroken over the loss.

"He was one of those figures in the neighborhood that you could count on," she said.

Contact Kim Ring at kring@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimmring.